In the heat treatment of a biological site in a patient's body, it is often necessary to cool the site being treated to inhibit damage to tissue at the site in the patient's body. Cooling is generally effected by irrigating the site with an appropriately sterilized liquid. The liquid is conveyed to an outlet opening through a conduit in a catheter.
The Applicant has filed an International Patent Application for an electrical lead under International Patent Application Number PCT/AU01/01339 dated Oct. 19, 2001. The electrical lead forming the subject matter of the International Patent Application has an unimpeded lumen and is suitable as a catheter sheath of an irrigation catheter. It lends itself to this application due to the fact that the unimpeded lumen facilitates insertion of items to assist in maneuvering and manipulating the electrode sheath while retaining a narrow diameter sheath which is beneficial in steering the catheter through the vascular system of the patient to the site of interest. The lumen can also be used as the conduit for the passage of the irrigation fluid to be emitted at a distal region while still maintaining the benefit of a catheter sheath having a narrower diameter than other catheters of which the Applicant is aware.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise,” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising,” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.